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SWANZ Anything But Disgraced Though Beaten
by Jeremy Ruane
Australia defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the latter’s first tri-series match in Newcastle, Australia, on November 19, but, though vanquished, Maurice Tillotson’s team was anything but disgraced by their supposedly superior opposition.
It speaks volumes for the SWANZ efforts that Australia, who fielded their two Japanese-based professionals for virtually the whole game, struggled to conquer their age-old rivals, who had got together as a squad just five days prior to the match.
On reflection, a little more preparation time and a small dose of good old-fashioned lady luck was all that stood between New Zealand and a famous victory at Topper Stadium. The players did themselves and their country proud.
The SWANZ took the game to their opponents, with Amanda Crawford pouncing on a Bridgette Starr error in the fourth minute before hitting the side-netting from a tight angle.
Wendi Henderson went even closer two minutes later, a twenty-yard drive hitting the crossbar and crashing back into play. Maia Jackman, a trojan in attack throughout, couldn’t get any power behind her reaction shot, allowing Belinda Kitching the chance to save, one gratefully received.
This seemed to wake up the Australians, whose first hint of interest in the game came in the thirteenth minute, Alicia Ferguson forcing a save from Yvonne Vale.
Then a minute later, disaster! Sonia Gegenhuber’s cross from the right struck the hand of Melissa Ruscoe in the penalty area. The local referee was in no doubt as to what to award, and Kim Revell duly sent Vale the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Free-kicks from Terry McCahill and Jill Corner caused Australia problems, with Crawford’s shot on goal following the latter’s delivery being blocked by defenders, as Kitching reeled from a clash with the inspired Sacha Haskell.
In between times, Vale saved at the feet of Sunni Hughes, an early substitute for the Matildas, the Japanese-based pro replacing Lisa Casagrande. But it was New Zealand who next tested Australia’s defences, and Henderson was again unfortunate. She whipped a free-kick goalwards in the 23rd minute, only for Kitching to just fingertip it over the bar.
Back came Australia. Cheryl Salisbury, who returned from Hughes with Japan, sent Revell scooting past Rachel Oliver in the 26th minute. Only Vale’s brave denial of a shot from close-range kept the scoreline intact. Two minutes later, Katrina Boyd had three chances to score, but Ruscoe, amongst others, stood firm, and New Zealand breathed again.
Revell was giving Oliver the runaround on New Zealand’s left, and in the 36th minute, a lovely turn and pass by Boyd sent her scurrying goalwards again. This time, as Vale advanced, Revell shot early, but her effort
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lacked accuracy, a goal-kick resulting.
Vale made a super save from Salisbury just before the interval, while Shelley Youman fired narrowly over in stoppage time, as the host nation went to the break a goal to the good.
In fairness to Australia, forward forays by New Zealand in the second spell were nowhere near as frequent. Certainly Australian pressure played a part in this, but so, too, did the lack of fitness of players in a couple of key areas, most notably on the flanks.
Nonetheless, the first attack of note in the second half came from the SWANZ. Crawford, her usual energetic self throughout, broke away and delivered a cross. Haskell, up in support, overran it - just. The ball eventually fell to Henderson, who laid it back for substitute Jane Simpson, but the debutante's cross-shot was more the former than the latter, and Kitching gathered comfortably.
Ferguson spoilt the good work of Youman and Revell with her 66th minute effort. Then Haskell found some space wide on the left three minutes later, and crossed. Australia cleared, but only as far as Michele Cox, whose dipping 25-yarder wasn’t far away.
Ruscoe’s vital clearance of a Salisbury long throw-in denied Hughes a shot from point-blank range in the 69th minute. Five minutes later, Gegenhuber was the provider of a measured cross for Salisbury, the imposing midfielder sending her header looping onto the top of the crossbar.
This combination clinched the vital second goal for Australia fourteen minutes from time. Gegenhuber’s cross from the right saw Salisbury steal in on the blindside of the defence to steer the ball beyond the stranded Vale and give the Matildas a 2-0 lead, despite the SWANZ justified pleas for offside.
Sarah Cooper hit the sidenetting in the 79th minute, after McCahill’s timely intervention foiled Hughes in the act of shooting, but the next chance fell New Zealand’s way.
Zarnia Cogle’s cross from the right was cleared to Cox, whose 25-yard screamer crashed against the underside of the crossbar and bounced back into play. Jackman’s passable impersonation of Diego Maradona’s handling of the ball against England at Mexico ‘86 did not escape the attentions of the local whistle-blower, however, and the Matildas’ relief was visible.
Gegenhuber sent Hughes surging through a square defence in the 84th minute, only for Vale to save again. Two minutes later, Salisbury provided Cooper with a chance which she spurned, while, in stoppage time, Hughes was similarly frustrated, after she had robbed Vale as the goalkeeper attempted to deal with a McCahill back-pass.
Two goals were all Australia had to show for their efforts, but the 2000-strong crowd went home with a new-found respect for their trans-tasman rivals, something which can’t be applied to another New Zealand sports team touring this southern continent.
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